12 March - 18 March 2024

No beach bars for Orihuela Costa

In Orihuela Costa, the anticipation of the beach bar openings this Easter has dimmed as the opposition party (PSOE) claims its unlikely due to governmental delays. Despite assurances from the PP-Vox government team that they are diligently working against the clock, PSOE believes that time constraints are making the prospect increasingly

doubtful.

PSOE’s claims come after evaluating the le and the tender documentation, which is currently in the ‘o er evaluation’ phase. According to the socialists, out of 17 companies that submitted bids since November, four were disquali ed due to tardiness of the bid. Presently, the remaining 13 bids are undergoing

report preparation, but the process remains far from completion. Councillor María García laments: “It will be impossible for the beach bar contracts to be awarded and the bars put into operation before Palm Sunday.”

With the Easter holidays looming, PSOE emphasises the lack of progress, highlighting that by then, six out of the 11 beach bars should have already been open to the public, providing longawaited services. However, the lack of

beach bars also raises concerns about essential services such as the provision of toilets. Maria García criticises the absence of contingency plans and believes the situation is indicative of poor planning. However, in response, a municipal spokesperson has assured people that toilets and walkways will be provided as they are secured through alternative minor contracts.

The beach bar contracts span four years until 2027, divided into ve lots, adding complexity to the award process.

Maria García notes the increased complexity due to batch contracting and expresses disappointment in the government’s lack of prudence. She was keen to point out that the government’s approach of giving unattainable deadlines erodes public trust, citing similar occurrences with budgets and infrastructure projects.

In conclusion, she urged the Mayor and the Councillor for Beaches to prioritise tangible actions over headline-grabbing announcements in order to restore credibility in governance practices.

Residents and police join forces to fight crime on the coast

The Neighbourhood Collaboration Association for Orihuela Costa has held a meeting with the Councillor for Citizen Security, Mónica Pastor, and Local Police to coordinate actions aimed at improving security in the area.

The Association was created in 2000, inspired by an initiative similar to the one that emerged in the United States in the 1970s and the UK’s Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. It brings together volunteers from di erent urbanisations and its objective is to help combat crime.

Due to COVID 19 activities ground to a halt but will now be resumed.

The Association currently has nearly one hundred members, led by Chris Simpson, Paul Kelly and Graham Jones, who are responsible for monitoring their communities and alerting people to suspicious situations. Councilor Mónica Pastor highlighted that The Association does a great job at being in direct

communication with the local police.

She explained: “We have agreed to hold a monthly meeting to exchange concerns and present a summary of the actions.”

In addition, a direct communication channel has been established between the association and the police and awareness and information campaigns will be carried out among loc al residents. The Association has volunteers residing in di erent urbanisations who communicate, by email or telephone calls, with the Local Police o cers if they perceive any abnormal situation that raise suspicions that a crime is being committed.

Both the Association and the Councillor for Citizen Security recognise the importance of this collaboration and citizen participation that, as a preventive measure aims to foster a safe environment for all residents.

The ethos of the Association is ‘if it a ects my street or my neighbour, then it a ects me’. However, ‘Neighbourhood Collaboration’ does not patrol the streets, nor does it carry weapons nor does it confront suspects, its job is simply to observe and report.

Guided tours and walks around Orihuela

The Department of Tourism of Orihuela has presented the tourist routes that will take place during the month of March, from the 8th to the 29th. The March program of tourist routes will honour the anniversary of the death of Miguel Hernández.

In particular, the one scheduled for 28th March, on the anniversary of the death of Miguel Hernández, the

Theatrical Passion and Death of the Poet Route will be o ered. Two other routes dedicated to the Oriolano poet are also featured through the Vida y Obra del Poet on Saturday 16th March.

The themes of the tourist routes are diverse and include the Civil War Refuge, a route in the Palmeral of Orihuela and the Blue Path of the Calas de Orihuela on the coast.

On the occasion of the upcoming Holy Week, special routes have been scheduled for 27th, 28th and 29th March. In addition, on Saturday the 23rd and Friday the 15th, routes on the History and Curiosities of Holy Week will be o ered.

For more details and to reserve places visit: https://www. orihuelaturistica.es

Germany and is always looking for more players to join. If you are interested, please contact Graham

February sees record-breaking tourism in Alicante Province

The allure of the Alicante province for tourists has reached new heights in February, with hotel occupancy smashing records yet again, as per data released by the Alicante Provincial Hotel Association (APHA).

The statistics reveal a remarkable hotel occupancy rate of 77.7% for the second month of the year, marking a substantial increase of 14.2 percentage points compared to February 2023, and setting an all-time record for the month, according to APHA spokespersons.

Notably, alongside increased occupancy rates, pro tability indicators have also seen signi cant improvements. Average daily rates have surged by 7 percentage points compared to the previous year. Revenue per available room has soared by an impressive 30.7% over February 2023

gures, highlighting a robust nancial performance within the hospitality sector.

However, this prosperity has not been devoid of controversy. The hotel sector had opposed the implementation of a proposed “Tourist Tax,” which would have added a nominal fee of up to 2 euros per night for 5-star hotels and just 50 cents for basic accommodations. The sector argued that such a tax would adversely a ect prices, a claim contradicted by the substantial price hikes observed this year.

In a breakdown by municipality, occupancy rates varied across locations. The city of Alicante recorded an 83.3% occupancy rate, while Playa de San Juan reached an unprecedented 90.0% - both gures unprecedented for February. Other municipalities reported more moderate rates, ranging from 30.0% in

Guardamar del Segura to 69.0% in Alcoy.

International tourists constituted the majority, accounting for 58.6% of the clientele, with British visitors leading the pack at 26.1%, followed by tourists from Poland (6.9%), Germany (6.0%), France (5.6%), Norway (5.4%), the Netherlands (4.8%), and Italy (3.5%). National tourists comprised 41.4% of visitors, with the majority hailing from the Valencian Community (31.1%), followed by the Community of Madrid (24.0%) and Catalonia (9.7%).

Looking ahead, APHA forecasts suggest continued positive trends in March, with occupancy rates and pro tability indicators expected to remain favourable. The alignment of Holy Week with the month of March this year is anticipated to further bolster tourism activity in the region.

on 711056343 or by email at: robinsongraham256@googlemail. com Alternatively, just go along to one of the bands regular rehearsals. It rehearses every Friday downstairs in the library in San Miguel from 4.30pm.to 7pm, you will be made very welcome.

Calls for second runway at Alicante

Regional politicians and business leaders have voiced strong opposition to the government’s dismissal of a second runway at AlicanteElche airport, asserting that the project is vital amidst surging passenger numbers.

In a year that witnessed a record-breaking in ux of 15.7 million travellers, and with early indicators from January hinting at another exceptional year in 2024, concerns over the airport’s capacity have reached a critical point.

Carlos Baño, President of the Alicante Chamber of Commerce, sounded the alarm, cautioning that without immediate action, the airport risks collapse within two years. Projections suggest an annual footfall of 20 million passengers by 2026, placing unprecedented strain on existing infrastructure.

The call for a second runway has been spearheaded by

Valencian President Carlos Mazon and Alicante City, re ecting widespread consensus within the region. However, the government’s response to Partido Popular Senator Agustin Almodobar, rebu ng the necessity for a second runway in the short to medium term, has sparked outrage.

“The government’s stance disregards the imperative of strategic airport planning,” criticized Valencian Tourism Minister Nuria Montes, emphasizing the need for foresight in infrastructure development.

Montes highlighted the success of Malaga, which, with its second runway, expanded ight capacity and accommodated over 20 million passengers, contrasting starkly with Alicante’s predicament of managing ve million fewer travellers on a single runway.

Expressing disappointment

over the government’s decision, Montes underscored Alicante’s pivotal role as a tourism hub, condemning the relegation of the province to secondary status in investment priorities.

Alicante’s Partido Popular Mayor, Luis Barcala, claimed the government’s stance was a deliberate a ront to the region’s development aspirations. Accusing Pedro Sanchez’s administration of neglecting Alicante’s interests in successive General State Budgets, Barcala criticised the refusal to proceed with the second runway as a “blatant injustice.”

As tensions escalate, stakeholders underscore the urgent need for collaborative action to address Alicante’s burgeoning aviation demands, warning that failure to act decisively could jeopardize the region’s economic vitality and tourism potential.

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Wills, Inheritence & much more!

Ryanair announces new routes from Alicante

In a bid to bolster tourism and enhance connectivity, budget airline Ryanair has announced the addition of nine new routes to the AlicanteElche Miguel Hernandez Airport, facilitating travel between the Costa Blanca tourist hub and various cities across Europe.

The expansion, unveiled during an event organised by the Alicante City & Beach Tourism Board, marks a collaborative initiative between Ryanair and the Alicante government aimed at fostering the growth of the tourism industry while mitigating its seasonal uctuations.

Scheduled to operate throughout the summer season, the new routes will link Alicante with the cities of Cardi and Norwich in the UK, Munster in Germany, Rzeszow in Poland, Zagreb in Croatia, So a in Bulgaria, and Barcelona in Spain. Additionally, Ryanair will reintroduce services to Budapest, Hungary, and expand its o erings to Lisbon, Portugal.

Commencing in May, the Cardi route will operate exclusively on Fridays, while all other routes will commence in March and operate twice a week.

With the introduction of these summer routes, Ryanair will connect Alicante to a total of 21 countries, forecasting nearly a million more passengers to

the region during the summer period, as forecasted by Ryanair General Director for Spain and Portugal, Elena Cabrera.

During the event, Alicante Mayor Luis Barcala called for increased state support to further expand tourism initiatives and highlighted ongoing plans to enhance airport infrastructure, including the addition of a second runway and improved transportation links.

The expansion of Alicante’s tourism o erings comes amidst e orts to counteract seasonality, a common challenge in the tourism industry where activity peaks during certain times of

the year. Deseasonalisation initiatives seek to distribute tourism ows more evenly throughout the year, providing stability to local economies and employment opportunities for workers.

Ryanair’s commitment to deseasonalisation is evident in its plan to add three new planes to its Alicante eet in 2024, bringing the total to 16, up from 11 in 2022.

Alicante Provincial Council President Toni Pérez commended Ryanair’s role in boosting tourism and emphasized the signi cance of public-private collaboration in achieving such expansions.

Seagate Wealth are very proud to announce that Edny Van Den Broek, Account Manager from Prudential International will be one of the guest speakers at the Finance & Tax Forum being held on Tuesday 12th March.

The event takes place at Hotel La Laguna in Ciudad Quesada and begins at 11.00am.

Along with Edny, we will be joined by Mark McMillan from the relocation Department at Sun Lawyers. Mark will be discussing the NLV – Non-Lucrative Visa.

To obtain the NLV, you will need to prove that you have su cient nancial means to support yourself without working in your new country. This means for a married couple €35,991 is needed. For years 2 and 3, the sum of €71,982 will need to put aside in savings and cannot be used for living expenses.

Therefore, it is essential to have a solid nancial plan and investment strategy

before applying for the visa. Many people assume they will need to keep this money in a Spanish bank account, but that is not the case.

The Prudential o er the International Prudence Bond which o ers life assurance as well as being fully tax compliant. This is a way to make your money work for you whilst complying with the visa requirements.

For the opportunity to nd out more about Prudential and Sun Lawyers, register to come along to the event and talk to “the man from the Pru”. Simply call 965 704 338 or email: Contact@ SeagateWealth.es to reserve your place.

Police arrest three men for robbing a youngster atknifepoint

The Catral Local Police have identi ed three male perpetrators of robbing a young man with intimidation.

The events, which occurred on February 28 and have now emerged, occurred in the urban area of Catral when a minor was assaulted by three young people, two of them also minors.

They threatened their victim at knifepoint to steal his mobile phone.

Thanks to the description provided by the victim and the images captured by security cameras in the area, the perpetrators of the robbery

with intimidation were located by the agents who carried out investigations. The stolen cell

phone was returned to its owner. The Dolores Civil Guard has taken charge of

Firefighters intervene in a fire in a large palm grove in Torrevieja

Fire ghters from the Torrevieja and Almoradí attended last week to extinguish a re that broke out in a large palm grove in Torrevieja.

The warning came warning that a re had started in the area of exit 75B of AP-7 in Torrevieja that reached the tops of palm trees of considerable height. A senior command unit, a heavy urban bomb, a heavy rural bomb, a heavy nurse bomb, a sergeant, a corporal, nine

re ghters from the Torrevieja and Almoradí parks and two forest re units moved to

the

scene. The troops managed to control the re and extinguish it.

GBP

Last week, there was little volatility between the sterling and euro, with the exchange rate range uctuating just 40 pips (0.004 cents) between its peak and trough. As we close this week, GBP/USD is at almost 1.29, which is the highest it has been since July 2023.

On Wednesday Jeremy Hunt announced the latest UK Budget, in what will likely be the last scal event before the next general election, thought to be coming during the second half of the year. He was careful not to throw out any huge tax-cut surprises, with the Truss/Kwarteng mini-budget still fresh in recent memory, but with the Conservative party under increasing pressure, as we roll towards the still unknown election date, Hunt would have been keen to make an impact.

There was a signi cant focus on personal tax cuts, with Hunt revealing a second 2p reduction in National Insurance. The move seemed to spell out the Conservative’s intention of completely abolishing the tax, which Hunt called “unfair” and a double taxation of work that penalised it rather than encouraging it. However, he was quick to admit it wouldn’t “happen any time soon.”

The pound remained on a positive footing following the budget as it was broadly in line with market expectations and didn’t impact the market anticipation that rate cuts would come from the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank before the Bank of England makes its move.

Labour still has a signi cant lead over the Conservative party. Although the latest polling data has not been released since the budget, Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt will be hoping their tax cuts will

have made a dent in Labour’s 20-point lead.

Whilst the general election is likely to be some way o , political uncertainty for the pound could happen well ahead of this event.

EUR

A few data events for the EU impacted the single currency this week after a somewhat quiet spell. The rst signi cant economic data release came on Wednesday, when European retail sales began to show some recovery, with the month-on-month reading forecast increasing from a previous -0.6% to 0.1%.

This week’s most important event for the euro was on Thursday when the European Central Bank (ECB) met to deliver the latest interest rate decision. Ahead of the meeting, the re nancing rate was forecast to remain unchanged at 4.5% for the fourth time and the central bank opted to hold rates steady, despite lowering its in ation forecast from 2.7% to 2.3% this year.

However, the news could impact future decisions. President of the ECB, Christine Lagarde, spoke later in the afternoon about the region’s economic growth plans and the current view on interest rate cuts. Her comments seemed to align with market expectations that we could see the rst reduction in interest rates in June, saying, “We will know a little more in April, but we will know a lot more in June.”

The narrative could continue to develop a less hawkish tone after recent in ation data released from the major EU economies showed that the decline was continuing. The preliminary estimations for February’s monthly in ation data in the Eurozone also showed continued deceleration, with in ation falling from 2.8% to 2.6%.

Contract for lifeguard and rescue services put out totender

The Orihuela City Council has put out to tender the contract for the provision of the rescue and lifeguard service and ambulance service on the beaches of Orihuela for a period of four years, extendable for another year.

Speci cally, the duration of the contract would cover the seasons from 2024 to 2027, with the exception of next Easter, which falls within the current contract. For the purposes of its termination, the new successful bidder will begin providing the service on July 9. The provision of this service

will be o ered from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., throughout the high season that covers the months of July and August, as well as the midseason corresponding to Holy Week, the second half of June and the rst half of September. , as well as the weekends of the rst fortnight of June and second of September, so that the service is covered on all the beaches of the municipality every weekend from June to September.

The contract starts with a base annual tender budget for the service of 1,014,769.04 euros with VAT included, except for the current year - which will

begin to be provided laterof 764,612.60 euros with VAT included. And the global tender base budget for the service, taking into account the sum of the service provision periods in the four seasons, amounts to a total of 3,808,919.72 euros, VAT included.

Companies interested in participating in this contract, through an open procedure subject to harmonized regulation, under the requirements established in the speci cations, have until April 3, 2024 to present their o ers and improvements to the service.

Early closing suggestion causes outrage

Spain’s Labour Minister, Yolanda Díaz, has ignited a storm of controversy with her proposal to mandate earlier closing times for restaurants across the country. Díaz contends that Spain’s current late-night dining culture is out of sync with the rest of Europe and is advocating for adjustments to align with broader European norms.

In a statement that has reverberated through Spain’s hospitality industry, Minister Díaz emphasised the need for a shift in closing hours, citing concerns about the adverse e ects of late-night work on mental health.

She argued, “It is not reasonable for Spain to be a country where we convene meetings at 8pm in the evening.

It is not reasonable for a country that has its restaurants open at 1am.”

However, her proposal has met with a wave of resistance from restaurant owners and workers alike. Many fear that implementing earlier closing times could deal a devastating blow to businesses already grappling with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the heart of the matter lies the government pact forged between the Spanish Socialist

Workers’ Party and Sumar, aimed at transitioning towards shorter workweeks. This pact includes the abandonment of the traditional 40-hour workweek, with plans to reduce the maximum legal working week to 38.5 hours in 2024 and further down to 37.5 hours in 2025.

As discussions between employers and unions unfold to implement these changes, the Confederación Sindical de Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) estimates that approximately 13 million workers could be a ected by the proposed reduction in working hours.

The controversy surrounding Minister Díaz’s proposal underscores the complex interplay between labour rights, economic recovery, and societal norms in Spain. While proponents argue for improved work-life balance and alignment with European standards, opponents warn of the potentially dire consequences for an already beleaguered hospitality sector.

As the debate rages on, all eyes are on the Spanish government to navigate a path forward that balances the interests of workers, businesses, and the broader economy.

Twenty-percent more female entrepreneurs inVegaBaja

The Consortium for the Economic Development of Vega Baja (Convega) has highlighted the prominence of women in the region in the eld of entrepreneurship as well as their innovative talent and contribution to job creation on the occasion of the celebration of International Women’s Day. the woman.

In just two years, women have gone from representing 41% of Convega ‘s attention to launch a business project, according to 2021 data, to exceeding 60% of the total number of people who came to the entity last year to receive technical support related to entrepreneurship, forms of nancing or existing public aid for business creation.

In the training area, users also have a prominent role. Thus, six out of every ten people who underwent this service in 2023 were women with nearly 400 services compared to the 232 provided to men. Something similar occurs in the area of career guidance where women represent 69% of total attention in 2023, following the progression of recent years in which their share has been 61% in 2021 and more than 63% in 2022.

For the director of Convega, Rosa Fernández, “these gures are a re ection of current society and demonstrate the female capacity, interest and talent to create new businesses.”

In addition, Fernández

continues, she also highlights “the commitment of women to improve their training in order to acquire new skills to be more competitive and increase their professional quali cations.”

The director of Convega has also recalled the entity’s commitment to equal opportunities between men and women, which is manifested in a strategic plan that is materialized through 60 measures that are articulated in the “IV Plan for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men of the Consortium” and the “Equality Citizenship Plan of Vega Baja del Segura” whose objective is to achieve full equality of opportunities in all areas of society.

The festival of Saint Patrick arrives in Los Montesinos

Los Montesinos joins the most international Irish festival to encourage its neighbors to go out and enjoy special o ers for two days surrounded by the green tide. Ana Belén Juárez, Councilor for Commerce and Tourism, highlights that “this initiative aims to o er leisure alternatives in the low season that boost the restaurant sector.”

The event will last two days, March 16 and 17, with 17 participating locations that will identify themselves with the green tone, the reference color of this festivity. Likewise, it will be an event in which each of them will o er di erent promotions regarding drinks and typical Irish products enlivened by characteristic music.

In this case, with each drink of 5 euros you will be awarded a

stamp, and with 4 stamps you will be able to participate in the gift draw which will take place on April 3 in the Plenary Hall of the Los Montesinos City Council. The mayor of Commerce and Tourism explains to us that “all the associated bars and restaurants will have their o er detailed for these special days and the brochures can be obtained at the town hall during public service hours.”

Meeting to discuss land for new Orihuela firestation

The mayor of Orihuela, Pepe Vegara, held a working meeting last week with the president of the Alicante Provincial Council, Toni Pérez, to address several issues of interest to the municipality, among them, the construction of the future Fire Station that will be located next to the A-7, where the City Council will transfer the land to the Provincial Consortium once it is municipal property. To do this, the process of expropriation or purchase of that surface that ts perfectly with the project they have planned will begin.

For his part, the president of the Provincial Council expressed to the mayor and the councilors of Infrastructure and Urban

Planning, Víctor Valverde and Matías Ruiz, his commitment to the municipality, stating that as soon as these lands are available, he will ask the consortium to speed up the construction. execution of this work, which is so necessary for the re ghters of Orihuela and part of the region since where they are currently located does not meet the best conditions.

In terms of infrastructure, the provincial body will continue with the construction of the network of bike lanes on the roads that are the responsibility of the Provincial Council in the area of Orihuela. Here four sections stand out that are quite advanced: Hurchillo-Bigastro,

Orihuela-Montepinar (the rst section was executed by the Orihuela City Council and the second is in the expropriation phase), Orihuela-Arneva and Arneva-Hurchillo.

Another topic of interest discussed referred to the water cycle where the Provincial Council will continue to support with subsidies to undertake replacements of drinking water, sanitation and actions regarding stormwater, especially when torrential rains occur. To this end, it will continue with the dikes in ravines, adaptation of channels and improvements in the aforementioned stormwater network, which in some cases must be expanded or resized.

Discover the spectacular Pantano de Elche

Following last week’s popular article about the El Cau Museum, today we take you down the round from there to discover another delightful treasure! The Elche Dam known as the Pantano de Elche was built in the 17th century on the Vinalopó River as a means of retaining its waters. It was the rst to be built in Europe

in the shape of a vault, and is even considered the rst arch-shaped dam built since Roman times. Today it has become a much loved trekking route for nature fans, due to its tranquil and picturesque ambiance. Waterfalls, streams, wooden bridges and local wildlife are some of the highlights you’ll see along the way.

The best place to park up and start is at Explanada del Pantano de Elche, Partida Carrus, 1256A, 03207, Alicante, where there will be signposts to guide you along the trail. Once you reach the dam, there are benches to stop for a rest, before continuing on your route (pack a cold drink and sandwich). It is quite a steep climb to

see the view at the top, though well worth the e ort! Dogs are allowed on a lead, though unfortunately this route is not wheelchair accessible.

To discover more amazing walks like this, visit the website www. costablancascene.com/walkingroutes/

Crime drops in Almoradí

Almoradí is currently below the provincial average in crime, exactly four points below, according to data provided by the Government Subdelegation. Thus, the new Subdelegate of the Government in Alicante, Juan Antonio Nieves, conveyed it to the mayor of the municipality, María Gómez, at the Local Security Board held last week together with di erent authorities from the security forces.

According to the data provided, the crimes seen in the statistics have the same characteristics as in other municipalities with a similar population, and there is no particularly worrying factor.

The most relevant crimes are thefts, carried out mainly on days when people

are crowded and due to carelessness, especially in vehicles. On the part of the subdelegation, it is reported that an e ort will be made to reinforce security in this type of situations and mass events, such as the weekly market in which several interventions coordinated with the Local Police have been carried out in recent weeks.

The meeting also presented future projects, such as reinforcing security during patron saint festivities or the need for the Civil Guard to have a larger workforce. In the words of the mayor “we want to continue working to achieve good coordination between the Local Police and the Civil Guard, as well as carry out an evaluation of the means we have, in order to achieve

quality security.”

On the other hand, at the meeting the increase in internet scams was emphasized and the Civil Guard’s master plan was reported, which has held di erent informative talks at the local IES and coordination interviews with the management of said educational centers. Regarding gender violence, the great work being carried out in the town by the Viogen units by the Civil Guard and Local Police is transmitted.

As a whole, and based on the o cial statistics provided, the assessment of all the forces gathered, both the Civil Guard and the Regional, National and Local Police, has been very positive, highlighting an 11% drop in crime this past year, 2023 compared to 2022.

This Week´s Movie Picks

Miss Congeniality

Saturday 16th March – Channel 5, 4.55pm

Undercover F.B.I. Agent Gracie Hart shows no signs of having any femininity in her demeanor or appearance. Generally a bright and capable Agent, she is in trouble at work when she makes an error in judgment in a case which results in a near disaster. As such, one of her by-thebooks colleagues, Eric Matthews, who has never shown any inclination of thinking outside the box, is assigned to lead the high pro le case of a terrorist coined The Citizen instead of her, while she is facing possible disciplinary action. Gracie pieces together the evidence to determine that The Citizen’s next target will be the Miss United States beauty pageant. The pageant represents everything that Gracie abhors. Despite Gracie’s mannish demeanor, Eric, with no other undercover female Agent remotely tting the demographic, assigns her to go undercover as a pageant contestant to see if she can ush out The Citizen, who is perhaps one of the other contestants. Although the pageant administration, led by former winner Cathy Morningside and long time host Stan Fields, provide the F.B.I. with access to the pageant, Cathy in particular is less than thrilled to have a non-credible Gracie posing as a contestant, which she feels will ruin the pageant. The F.B.I. enlist the assistance of former pageant contestant coach Victor Melling, who is facing his own disgrace associated with the pageant, to do the nearly impossible task of transforming Gracie, not only into a woman, but a credible beauty pageant contestant. As Gracie proceeds in the transformation, she gets to know the other contestants, not only as potential criminals, but also as real people. She also discovers that another sinister element is present at the pageant. She will do whatever it takes to quash that element and protect her new friends, namely the other innocent contestants. But now displaying some femininity, Gracie begins to have more womanly feelings, and in turn, attracts the attention of men, one in particular about whom she is happy.

Flushed Away

Sunday 17th March – ITV2, 6.15pm

Roddy is a decidedly upper-crust “society mouse” who lives the life of a beloved pet in a posh Kensington at. When a sewer rat named Sid comes spewing out of the sink and decides he’s hit the jackpot, Roddy schemes to rid himself of the pest by luring him into the “whirlpool.” Sid may be an ignorant slob, but he’s no fool, so it is Roddy who winds up being ushed away into the bustling sewer world of Ratropolis. There Roddy meets Rita, an enterprising scavenger who works the sewers in her faithful boat, the Jammy Dodger. Roddy immediately wants out, or rather, up; Rita wants to be paid for her trouble; and, speaking of trouble, the villainous Toad - who royally despises all rodents equally, making no distinction between mice and rats--wants them iced... literally. The Toad dispatches his two hapless hench-rats, Spike and Whitey, to get the job done. When they fail, the Toad has no choice but to send to France for his cousin - that dreaded mercenary, Le Frog.

Tuesday 12th March

March

A Spring serenade in La Zenia

Verity Jo Spencer Hall has been well known to many locally since the tender age of 16. With numerous performances as a Soprano soloist in several well-known Choir’s, Musical theatre productions and her own Solo Concerts around the Costa Blanca. Subsequently, after being spotted on social media by Yuriy Yurchuk from The Royal Opera House and a life changing trip to Sicily her talents took her back to study at The Royal Academy of Music in London. But on Saturday April 6th at 19.00 she will be back for a concert on her home ground. Joined by her Tenor boyfriend Michael Lacasella ying in from Seattle and local stalwart Mr Philip Mitchell to tinkle the Ivories, they will put on a well awaited Concert at La Iglesia de la Zenia (or the little White church on then N332) Verity and Micheal will sing Beautiful well known pieces from Opera and Musical Theatre, La Traviata,The Magic Flute, La Boheme, Phantom of The Opera, My fair lady, Westside Story to mention but just a few. Don’t

miss out on this very special evening of song. A donation will be going to The Cystic Fibrosis Trust and also The Church Funds. Tickets are 10€ and can be collected from The Ponderosa Gift Shop in La Zenia, Bargain Book’s in San Miguel, Butter ies Tearoom in Jacarilla or telephone Tabitha on 722486936 for more information on how you can collect your tickets.

HELP Vega Baja Annual General Meeting

HELP Vega Baja registered charity held their Annual General Meeting last week at their centre in San Miguel. The charity has been helping people throughout the Vega Baja area for over 45 years with no charge for any of the services they provide.

The Elective committee stood for re-election and were successfully appointed.

Michele Masson (BEM) remains in place as President for her 10th year. Richard Garland (MBE) is the longest serving member of the committee with 18 years as Charity Secretary and 22 years with the charity. Sue Birchenough joined the charity in 2018 and became Treasurer in 2020.

Michele Masson thanked everyone

for their support and stated that none of the wonderful work they do would be possible without the help that is received from individuals and local businesses. She stated that the charity had plans to o er additional services

but that more volunteers would be required, and a recruitment drive would be organised.

For more information about HELP

Vega Baja contact Richard on 966 723 733

Friday 15th March

March

01:15 Teleshopping

04:00

04:50

06:05

07:00

07:30

10:25

10:30

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18:50

19:40

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18th March

02:55 The Simpsons

03:20

03:45 The Simpsons

04:05

07:05

07:30

07:50 Everybody Loves

Raymond

08:15 Everybody Loves

Raymond

09:05 The Simpsons

09:30 The Simpsons

10:00

10:30

If you have a question or problem with any household technology needing my help or want to join the Technology Help Group please email Brian at cbtechnology.help@gmail.com.

As a group member, you would have access to the group website which contains previous session notes, handouts and access to previous Costa Blanca People published articles.

Scan the QR for a reminder of what the Costa Blanca Technology Help Group o ers.

Meetings at Dilly’s Bar, Av. Castuera, 3, 03184 El Chaparral, Alicante. Group meetings on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 10:00 to 12:00. The Next meeting is on Wednesday 10th April 2024. You are welcome to attend.

“Is there any way to see what medications I am being prescribed and when they are available?”

Yes, there is. Download and install the App GVA +Salut (available for Android and Apple). When

Your tech questions answered by Brian Hoile of the Costa Blanca Technology Help Group, helping over 320 members with their PCs , smartphones and more. Group members can attend meetings in person or online using Zoom or Teams.

installed open the App and choose between Valenciano and Castilian. You are then prompted to scan the Bar Code on your SIP Card and enter the issue date and a PIN code for future access to the App. Available options are:

Resumen Citas – Appointments

Summary

Resumen Farmacia – Pharmacy Summary – detailing medication and when available.

Resumen Justi cantes –Supporting Documents Summary.

“If I have issues with my computer but live outside your catchment area, can you still help me?”

Yes, of course, I can. I can help you remotely if you download and install “Team Viewer” and send me a phone number where I can call you.

When you open Team Viewer under “Allow Remote Control” is displayed your ID and password.

When in telephone contact, I will ask you for your ID and will need the password when I ask for it. I can then see and take control of your computer. You can still also control your computer. I can then x any issues or show you how to perform any task that you need to perform.

When nished I will disconnect from my Team Viewer. A security feature creates a new password each time you open Team Viewer so I cannot access your computer without your knowledge and permission.

After the Team Viewer session, I will send you an email detailing what tasks were performed to help you understand fully how to perform the tasks performed.

“What is an e-SIM?”

An eSIM is an embedded SIM. It’s a reprogrammable chip that’s built into your phone during manufacturing. It serves the same function as a physical SIM. It identi es you as a mobile subscriber and gives you access to a carrier’s network. The di erence is that an eSIM works 100% digitally. Whether your phone is eSIM compatible depends on the mode, where it is manufactured and what carrier you use, The best way to nd out is to check with the device manufacturer, reseller, or network provider. You can also search in your phone settings. Your phone must be open and not locked to a network provider.

Brian Hoile Technology Help Group

Join the Group by searching Facebook for “Costa Blanca Technology Help Group”

Send your questions to cbtechnology.help@gmail.com

such as

shower

shampoo as well as baby items needed are nappies, hero baby milk 1 and 2 and baby wipes. As

begin 2024, they are hoping to be able to provide for families throughout the next few months when times are hardest. January, February, and March are the toughest times for this charity, so please spare a thought and give what you can. You can drop o

Torrevieja U3a announces new activities

Following on from the 2024 AGM of the Torrevieja u3a the new committee has pleasure in announcing the start of a couple of new activities which have been added to the long list of activities that are currently available to the membership.

The new groups are Canasta, which will meet weekly on Thursdays, and Easy Jive and Dance which will run monthly on Tuesdays.

Fuller details of both of these new activities, along with information about all of the other activities available, can

be found on our new website torreviejau3a.org.

The Morris dancing group will, in future, be holding its meetings in the CMO building in Torrevieja, which is where the U3a also meets on the last Monday in each month, apart from during its summer break. Anyone who is interested in nding out more about the organisation, or joining, can attend the monthly CMO meetings or visit our members tables on the 2nd Thursday of each month at Rockys Bar on the N332 at Playa Flamenca.

There have been a couple of requests recently about art, painting or photography classes. We do not currently have any art groups and if anyone knows of local groups that interested members could contact, or better still, if any of you budding artists would like to run such a group.it could be a ‘self-help’ style group where like minded people just get together to share their knowledge and passion! I am happy to help with nding a venue. Contact Michelle at u3agroupsliaison@ gmail.com

Chantelle Houghton reveals she’s been celibate for TWO YEARS after a string of disastrous relationships from Preston to Alex Reid

Chantelle Houghton has revealed she’s been celibate for the last two years following a string of disastrous relationships.

The former Big Brother star, 40, who won the show in 2006, said she has ‘given up’ looking for love due to the lack of ‘gentlemen’ in the world.

The mother-of-one told The Sun: ‘It’s been about two years now and without sex I feel empowered, independent

and free’.

‘Chivalry appears to be dead and I’d much rather go through the rest of my life single than settle for someone who makes me miserable’.

Chantelle was married to singer Preston, 42, for a year after meeting in the Big Brother house before embarking on a string of other high pro le relationships.

Big Brother legend Brian Dowling reveals he’s set to become a father for the second time with his husband Arthur Gourounlian in sweet update Big Brother legend Brian Dowling has announced he’s set to become a father for the second time with his husband Arthur Gourounlian in a sweet update.

surrogate.

Sharing an adorable photo of the toddler wearing a ‘promoted to big sister’ sweater, he wrote: ‘Our family is going to get bigger.

‘We are so excited about the arrival of Baby Dowling Gourounlian Number 2 this Summer.’

The presenter, 45, who shot to fame when he starred on the reality show in 2001, revealed the happy news in an Instagram post on Saturday.

The couple welcomed their rst child, a daughter named Blake in September 2022, with Brian’s sister acting as the

Ryan Thomas is crowned the winner of Dancing on Ice 2024

Ryan Thomas skated to victory and was crowned Dancing On Ice’s 2024 winner alongside pro partner Amani Fancy during Sunday’s action packed

live nal.

The former Coronation Street star, 39, beat Made In Chelsea’s Miles Nazaire and partner Vanessa Bauer, after DJ Adele Roberts nished in third place and Olympian Greg Rutherford was forced to quit hours before the show due to injury.

Following his win an emotional Ryan choked back tears as he raised the trophy and and admitted he was speechless before paying tribute to his partner saying: ‘I’m just so happy for Amani!’.

Meanwhile the pro in oods of tears gushed, telling the actor: ‘I’m so proud of you, thank you for making this happen’.

Ryan then turned to the camera and sent his best wishes to missing fellow nalist: ‘ Greg, If you’re watching at home this trophy’s for you’.

Antiques Roadshow guest left shaking

Meanwhile the pro in oods of tears gushed, telling the actor: ‘I’m so proud of you, thank you for making this happen’.

Ryan then turned to the camera and sent his best wishes to missing fellow nalist: ‘ Greg, If you’re watching at

home this trophy’s for you’.

Astounded the Antiques whizz joked: ‘Oh I really like it, can I have it for a quid?’ before going on to reveal the wine glass’ origins.

He said it was called a ‘heavy baluster’ due to the glass featuring 30% lead, and revealed it dated back to 30-years after the invention of lead crystals.

Saying: ‘George Ravenscroft perfects the formula for lead crystal in 1676, and this is 30-years afterwards. It’s about 1705-1710, which dates it at over 300-years old’.

‘And it’s rare!’ he gushed as the woman admitted the news had left her shaking.

Moving on the valuation Andy concluded with a smile: ‘£2,000’ as the woman threw her hands to her mouth gobsmacked.

Before the expert added: ‘Have a drink out of it tonight for Dad’.

It comes after another Antiques Roadshow guest has vowed to sell their ‘rare’ bunny toy after having a huge valuation for the item which has sat in a drawer for 20 years.

A lady brought the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to be valued when the BBC show visited Woodhorn Museum in Northumberland.

At Hotel Algorfa the entertainment has taken the community by storm.

The upcoming acts for the year include some of the best bands and singers on the Costa Blanca.

The venue holds over 100 people so there’s never any fear of being without a seat when wishing to join us for an evening of music, dance and drinks!

Just next week alone, Hotel Algorfa has a full schedule with some type of entertainment most evenings, not to mention showing all the live sports throughout the week on the big screens.

New to Mondays are Robs Games Nights from 7pm with interactive games to include bullseye, wheel of fortune and music bingo all with fantastic prizes and an immense atmosphere! Not to mention, buy one get one free on your drinks! On Wednesdays, you can join Tommy’s quiz from 7.30pm but prepare youself for his quirky sense of dry humour! On Thursday, we have The Cages from 8.30pm, a full band that covers the majority of genres, well loved by the costa blanca community. On Friday’s you can now join us every week for a disco night, hits from the 60’s to now by DJ Tony Barbossa, our resident DJ. On Saturday we are celebrating ST Patricks Day as intended, with Finn Lizzy, a tribute to the well known band, Thin Lizzy, and our drinks o ers will be way too good too miss. Cure your hangovers on Sunday with our hard to beat Carvery from 1pm for just €8,99 and be blown away by the beautiful orchestra that is ‘Posh A aire’, a charity band raising money for local charities. If you’re not able to make it this week, keep on eye on page 2 for all our upcoming events!

Health & Beauty

Searching for the cure for Type 1 Diabetes

Optical chain joins forces with diabetes charity to help nd the cure for Type 1 Diabetes

04 March 2024 - OPTICAL chain Specsavers Ópticas has signed an agreement to fundraise for the charity DiabetesCERO throughout 2024, to help them nd a cure for Type 1 Diabetes. They aim to raise over €5,000 for the charity, to fund important research projects in Spain searching for a cure.

During the fundraising period, stores on the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and in Mallorca will be taking part in challenges and activities to raise funds. They will also be talking to customers and local residents about diabetic retinopathy, one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in the world.

Nerea Galdos-Little store director of Specsavers Ópticas Marbella explains why they chose DiabetesCERO as their o cial charity for 2024, ‘Diabetes is a very big problem on a global level and one that is growing quickly, with an estimated 537 million people in the world su ering from the disease. This disease is associated with a range of potentially serious health complications, if not correctly controlled.’

‘One of these complications, which we’re seeing more and more of during eye tests, is diabetic retinopathy. If this is undiagnosed and untreated, this can develop into Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) and cause permanent vision impairment and blindness. The prevalence of DME among people living with Type 1 diabetes in Europe is around 8.8% and so we want to support DiabetesCERO to help them nd a cure

for this disease by pledging to raise €5,000 for the charity in 2024.’

‘Alongside this, we want to educate and inform people in our community about the link between diabetes and vision loss. We encourage anyone with diabetes to ensure they carefully manage glucose levels to prevent health complications. They should also have regular eye tests, including the latest technology, to check the health of the eyes and identify any nerve damage early, before it a ects their vision.’

In Spain there are over 1,000 people diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes every year, and most of those are under 15 years old. This is a growing problem, yet its cause is not known and there is no cure. The charity DiabeteCERO wants to change that by funding research projects in Spain to nd the cure to Type 1 Diabetes.

For Isabel Mérida, President of DiabetesCERO: ‘the agreement with Specsavers Ópticas is a unique opportunity to put the focus on the prevention of diabetes-related vision problems. People with Type 1 diabetes often start daily blood glucose monitoring at a very young age, and in the long run, complications associated with this condition can arise. We must not forget that diabetes is behind the majority of cases of blindness in working age adults in Spain.’

‘Moreover, this charity campaign not only focuses on prevention, but goes one step further. A step that for us is crucial: raising awareness of the importance of investing in research to cure a disease that is often invisible to the rest of

society, yet has a brutal impact on the families who live with it.’

There are collection tins in all nine Specsavers Ópticas stores in Spain, where donations can be made to help

fund vital research into Type 1 Diabetes. There will also be challenges, activities and events taking place through 2024 which will be available to sponsor and support. Information and sponsorship

details can be found on Facebook @ SpecsaversOpticas. To nd your nearest store to donate, or request a complete eye test, including vital health checks, visit www.specsavers.es

What you need to know about ovarian cancer

Dr. Rodolfo Martín Díaz, head of the Gynaecology Service at Quirónsalud Torrevieja and Alicante, summarises the origin of this pathology and what surgery consists of to address it.

One of the malignant diseases that occupies the rst places among female tumours is ovarian cancer. Its incidence in women is around 1.2% of the general female population, but if we take into account its age of onset, it will represent 5% of female tumours and the fourth most frequent.

In Spain, around 3,300 new cases are diagnosed annually, an incidence relatively higher than that of the world population (4%).

Despite its low incidence, it is still the leading cause of cancer death in women, with around 2,000 deaths per year.

Rodolfo Martín Díaz, head of the Gynaecology Service at Quirónsalud Torrevieja y Alicante, explains in greater detail what this disease consists of and how it can be treated. In addition, he speci es the average age of patients who su er from it and when studies should begin for early detection of the disease.

Ovarian cancer and the patient’s age

Ovarian cancer is a disease more common in postmenopausal women, with the highest incidence between the ages of 50 and 75. In this sense, the average is around 63 years old. These purely statistical data only re ect the importance of regular check-ups after menopause.

Survival of ovarian cancer

depends purely and exclusively on the stage or degree of progression that is diagnosed. The Quirónsalud professional explains that in stage I, the cure can reach 95%, while in stage II, it is 70% and in stage III, it is 30%. However, “unfortunately, most cases are diagnosed in stage III or IV. This is mainly due to the fact that it is a silent disease, which when it manifests it does so with symptoms that are mistaken between banal anomalies of the digestive tract, urological and gynaecological problems. Added to this, the lack of an accurate diagnostic imaging method leads to the vast majority of times being discovered in advanced stages.

Faced with this scenario, speci c gynaecological check-ups from the age of 40 are very important, in which a gynaecological ultrasound will be performed to detect any abnormality in the ovaries. If there is a family history of ovarian cancer, screening should begin earlier.

Regarding the causes of ovarian cancer, a speci c one is currently unknown, but there are a number of factors that reduce the incidence of ovarian cancer. These include pregnancy and the use of birth control pills.

More well-known, but rare, are hereditary syndromes that predispose to ovarian cancer due to mutations in some speci c genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, linked to breast and ovarian cancer and other tumours (prostate, pancreas, melanoma).

More recently, other genes are also linked to ovarian cancer such

as PTEN (PTEN tumour hamartoma syndrome), STK11 (Peutz-Jeghers syndrome), MUTYH (MUTYH-associated polyposis), and many genes that can cause hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer or Lynch syndrome (MLH1, MLH3, MSH2, MSH6, TGFBR2, PMS1, and PMS2).

Treatments for Ovarian Cancer

The professional Díaz, from Quirónsalud Torrevieja and Alicante, says that ovarian cancer surgery di ers in the early and advanced stages, but in all cases the objective is the same: to leave the patient without tumour remains.

In early stages I and II, minimally invasive surgery plays a fundamental role.

Minimally invasive surgery allows surgical procedures to be performed through minimal incisions in the skin, avoiding the opening of the abdomen. This is why post-surgical recovery is faster, less painful and associated with a lower risk of infection, allowing patients earlier mobility, incorporating into family, social and work life in a much shorter time than in the case of patients operated on by laparotomy.

Therefore, recovery after ovarian cancer surgery can vary signi cantly depending on several factors, such as the extent of the surgery, the stage of

the cancer, the patient’s overall health. If the surgical approach is minimally invasive, recovery is much faster and less painful.

For advanced stages, in which treatment of the genital tract is required, but also digestive, urinary or peritoneal, the recommended route is the open route, sometimes intraperitoneal chemotherapy with hyperthermia may be added (HIPEC).

In these cases, the exposure of the abdomen is maximum so that both the upper and lower abdomen can be addressed and thus completely eliminate all visible tumour disease. Here, there is a higher incidence of post-surgical pain, surgical wound infections, bleeding, and limitation of early mobility. In the rst case,

the hospital stay is usually 2 days on average, while in the second it is approximately 7 days.

Finally, the professional maintains that: When ovarian cancer is suspected or diagnosed, patients should be referred to centres with experience and capacity. To have multidisciplinary teams and the appropriate technology, because the surgical treatment of ovarian cancer has only one surgical opportunity and the survival of our patients depends on it, which in the advanced stages can range from 72 months to 30 months, depending on the type of surgery we are able to perform.

You can request more information at Quirónsalud Torrevieja hospital about this disease or any other pathology.

Manuel Castro Gil from DiabetesCERO & Nerea Galdos-Little from Specsavers Ópticas Marbella

Health & Beauty

When you look at someone for the rst time, your eyes go naturally to theirs and vice versa! So why not wow them with your stunning eyes, how I hear you say !!

Lash & brow treatments are the best way to enhance the appearance of your lash and brows, so they complement your other facial features.

What are Lash & Brow Treatments?

“Lash & brow treatments” is a broad term covering several procedures that improve the appearance of your eyelashes and eyebrows. At Indiana’s hair & lash boutique, we o er lifting tinting, hybrid tinting and tattooing procedures for the eyelashes and eyebrows.

Let’s explain the lash & brow treatments we o er.

The Lash Tint Procedure

Consider tinting your eyelashes as having their roots touched up. The dye will darken your natural lashes, adding

de nition to your eyes. The dye is similar to what you would use on your hair, but it has been specially formulated to be safe near the eye region.

A lash tint procedure o ers the additional bene t of quickly thickening lashes without needing several coats of mascara (which generally results in many clumps). It also lasts far longer than mascara.

Brow Tint Procedure

Eyebrow tinting is a procedure that applies and blends semi-permanent dye into the brows. The goal is to make your eyebrows look more prominent and darker than usual. Tinting enhances your natural brows

Working with professionals is bene cial because they mix the dye to achieve the ideal shade, typically a few shades darker than your original color. Choosing the right shade is crucial; a tint that’s too light barely produces results, and one that’s too dark will look

strange and unnatural.

The Lash Lift Procedure

A lash lift is an all-natural, semipermanent technique that gives you the illusion of larger, thicker eyelashes without using any leave-on chemicals or extensions. The natural lashes are thickened at the base, making them appear lifted and lengthened. If you have a lash lift, you won’t have to struggle with clumpy mascara.

The treatment is painless, leaving you with eyelashes you can proudly bat around as glamorously as you like. It will appear as though your mascara was already on when you woke up.

Powder Brows (PMU)

Powder Brows are a popular Permanent Makeup (PMU) technique suitable for all skin types.

This technique is becoming increasingly popular amongst PMU wearers. Using a tattoo machine and

pigment, a PMU technician will gently color the surface of the skin, producing a subtle, powdered e ect that mimics traditional brow makeup.

Due to its delicate shading, powder brows are ideal for people with sparse or light brows, as well as those who want a subtle, make up free look.

Lash Extensions

Let’s start with answering, “What are lash extensions?”. Lash extensions are exactly what they sound like: Extensions to existing natural eyelashes. Once applied, they grow along with your natural lashes’ life cycle.

Lash extensions can take some time to apply and should 100% be done by trained lash artists to ensure they are properly done. Their longer life cycle makes them a worthwhile investment.

Airbrushed brows

Natural-Looking Results

Airbrushing precisely and elegantly

mimics the appearance of real hair, in contrast to other makeup techniques that may leave your brows looking drawn-on or excessively harsh.

This process lls in sparse areas and de nes your brow shape, resulting in a subtle enhancement that looks e ortlessly natural.

The pigment is expertly layered to create depth and dimension, ensuring that your brows look like they were blessed by nature rather than arti cially enhanced.

After all, we all want to look as natural as possible with just a few small tweaks done, don’t we?

You can book in for any of our appointments by messaging @ indianashairandlashboutique on Facebook and Instagram or Telephone 681 250 190.

You can also visit the salon in Benijofar.

Health & Beauty

Our boy plays football for an under 12s team. His mum and I are avid supporters and turn up for their matches. Last month we attended an impromptu after match meal at a local pizza restaurant. When we’d finished, the bill was split between 30 of us; equally. We’d had a few drinks and didn’t realise until later, that one couple had brought along their three teenagers (who ordered tonnes of food), and an elderly relative. I mentioned the discrepancy to my wife; she dismissed it, but I was not happy. The next time the boys played, it happened again. I talked to one of the dads. He and I raised the point but it was brushed off as not being an issue. I’m seething about

it; why should everyone have to pay for this couples kids and granny?

Why indeed. There’s an obvious solution of course, that you ask the server for a separate bill, or, you go to the cashier before the bill comes and simply pay for what you’ve ordered. The latter might be the most discreet way of addressing this problem. But then of course the remainder of the group will be left to cough up for the freeloading family. If your intention here is for fair play to all, you might try again and highlight the problem to the rest of the group at the meal itself, and get ask the server to bring individual bills.

WRITE TO SARA IN CONFIDENCE. A PSEUDONYM WILL BE USED IF YOU WISH. SARA READS ALL LETTERS AND CAN GIVE A PERSONAL REPLY. EMAIL YOUR QUESTION TO SARA@ COSTABLANCAPEOPLE.COM OR SARA IS

Seventy-seven people have died in tra c accidents during the month of February

There have been 74 fatal tra c accidents in which 77 people have died, 6 more than in the same month of the previous year, in a context in which mobility has increased by 4.4% compared to February of last year.

The number of fatalities due to frontal collisions decreases, while they increase due to leaving the road and rear and multiple collisions.

14 of the deceased were not using the corresponding security system at the time of the accident, all of them were traveling by car.

During the month of February, 74 fatal accidents have been recorded on the roads in which 77 people have died, 6 more than in the same month of 2023, in a context in which mobility has increased by 4.4% compared to February from the previous year, registering 31.1 million long-distance movements.

The number of deaths on conventional roads increases slightly compared to the same month last year.

If the means of travel is taken into account, the groups that increase their accident rate are those that traveled by car and motorcycle. Pedestrian fatalities are reduced, as are fatal bicycle users.

During this month, road departures, side collisions and rear-end and multiple collisions have increased, types of accidents in which 33, 12 and 11 people have died respectively. On

the contrary, the number of deaths from head-on collisions has decreased, with 10 deaths recorded, 5 less than in February 2023.

Regarding the use of safety systems, 14 of the deceased were not using the corresponding safety system at the time of the accident; all of them were traveling in a car and were not wearing their seat belts.

By age group, those whose accident rate increased the most are those aged 35 to 44 (20 deaths, compared to 13 in the same month of the previous year) and those aged 45 to 54 (14 fatalities compared to 8, February 2023).

By autonomous community, February 2024 has had a very similar behavior to that recorded in February 2023.

The days with the most fatalities were Sunday the 4th, Saturday the 10th and Wednesday the 28th of February with 6 deaths each day. In contrast, in February there were 4 days in which no fatalities were recorded due to road accidents.

Therefore, so far this year, 169 people have died on the road, 23 more people than in the same period in 2023.

Shortlist announced for 2024 World Car of the Year

fuels, recognizing the shared responsibility in mitigating the climate crisis.

The winners will be unveiled at the New York Auto Show on March 26.

POOL MAINTENANCE

CHURCH AND CHARITIES

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Service at 11am (English) Calle Beniajan 14, Torrevieja, 03185 www.icatorrevieja.org Phone; 966799273 or 660127276 (SH) Join us at Salt Church. Sundays at 10.30am. We are a friendly Church, Bible centred in our teaching and informal in our worship.Calle Daya Nueva 12, Poligino Industrial Levante II, 03187 Los Montsinos. www.saltchurch.es Facebook:

SaltChurchSpain

The Alfaz Spiritual Friends Centre o er a warm welcome at ‘The Comm’ (Ex The Forum/ Mare Nostrum) Camino Del Pincho 2, L’Alfaz Del Pi, 03580, Alicante. Visiting Medium every week - Service starts 6.30PM every Thursday. Contact Dot 634 320 013 Email: dorothydorothy608@gmail.com

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WHAT´S ON

Sheerin’s Golf Society “Diabetes Cup” at Altorreal

This is our fth year that we have played for the Diabetes Cup which is sponsored by Dave Allison (Society Photographer) in memory of his wife Joyce.

Twenty-one players took part and the format was full handicap Stableford split into two groups with one overall winner. On arrival at Altorreal we were greeted by Antonio and his team, everything was organised and ready to go and the course was in excellent condition from tee boxes to greens. The weather was a very pleasant 22 degrees with blue skies, perfect conditions for golf.

Winner of the Diabetes Cup was group B winner Tony Alcock with 36 points, runner up of group B was Paul Owen with 30 points and third place went to Keith James with 24 points.

Group A winner was “Tom Tom” Brian Court with 32 points, runner up was “He’s on Fire” Steve Burns with 31 points and third place went to “Footsie” Lee George with 30 points.

Nearest the pin’s winners were group A, hole 6 Sean Mc Guinness, hole 10

“Sea Captain” Andy Godfrey, hole 16 “I’m here in one” john Fairbrass, group B, holes 5 and 18 Tony Alcock, hole 14 Paul Owen. Best front nine went to Gordon Troy with 17 points and best back nine went to Terry Hall with 15 points, the Two’s pot was shared between Brian Gordon and John Bolt both downing in two on hole 8 so both shared $15. There were two match play singles knockout competition. Paul Owen won 3&2 against Andy Godfrey, Steve Burns and John Bolt ended up all square so replay needed.

The football card was won by Dons Ralph with Newcastle winning €40 and raising €40 for our chosen charities of 2024.

We would like to thank Donnie, Pat and sta at Sheerin’s for the excellent food and great hospitality.

Picture shows Don’s Ralph, granddaughter of Dave Allison, presenting the cup to Tony Alcock. www.sheerinsgolfsociety.com sheerinsgolfsociety@gmail.com

Lo Crispin GolfClaret Jug at Altorreal

On the 6th. March 32 players ‘teed it up’ at Altorreal to compete for the Society’s rst ‘Major’ of the year, our ‘Claret Jug’ The weather for playing golf was perfect, however the scores in general did not re ect this fact. The main reason I believe was the very dry, almost scorched conditions of both the fairways and ‘greens’,. good shots often ran o the fairways into waste areas or areas from which a recovery shot was di cult. Furthermore, the very conditions made it di cult to ‘hold’ the greens, if fortunate enough to get there ! It also made it very di cult to make scoring putts, particularly the pins which were placed on sloping parts of the green, which quite a few were. Clearly, given the drought conditions in many parts of Spain, and if the drought conditions persist, it is probable that many golf courses may have to close, at least until we have more rain. As usual

we returned to the Lo Crispin Tavern, where Tapas was supplied and the day’s prizes were distributed.

1st Place and Winner of the Claret JugRod Pullen 30 pts o 19

2nd Place - Alan Graham 26 pts o 20

3rd Place - Frank Hanrahan 24 pts o 26

4th Place - Margaret O’Brien 23 pts o 29 (on count back)

N.T. P. on Par 3s

Hole 5 - Sarah Potter

Hole 8 - Gordon Campbell

Hole 10 - Peter Baldwin

Hole 17 - Peter Baldwin

The 2s ‘pot’ was shared by Ian Stuart and Gordon Campbell

Finally, the Free Game Draw was won by Frank Hanrahan.

Steve Harrington (Membership Secretary)

Abbey Anglers

On Tuesday the 5th of March we made the rst away trip of the year to the fabulous Embalse de Argos in the Murcia region close to Caravacca de la cruz. This is a beautiful venue set up in the mountains but it can be chilly at this time of year. I think it was a bit of a shock to the system to some when upon arrival the temperature gauge read 2 degrees. This venue is set around a point with one side getting the sun and the other in total shade for most of the day.

Thirteen anglers took part and without doubt the sunny side containing pegs 2 to 8 shed by far the best. The winner on the day with a great weight for this time of year was

yours truly, Ian Brown with 25.94kg consisting of 20 carp and a solitary barbel from peg 4 on the sunny side. I caught nearly everything on the method feeder with maggots shed at about 50 metres.

In second place was Bob Robinson on peg 5. Bob also shed the method feeder but with pellets or corn and tipped the scales with 13.88kg.

In third place and again on the method feeder from peg 7 was Nick Bastock with 13.78kg.

The cold side shed really poorly with 3 dry nets and the best weight of 4.84kg coming from Willy Moons on peg 10.

Rods N Reels

The following day the numbers were

reduced to 7 anglers and we shed four on the sunny side and three on the cold side. Order of the day was bob hats and eeces on the cold side and shorts and t shirt on the sunny side with temperatures in the mid twenties.

Winner once again was myself, Ian Brown. Drawn on peg 6 on the sunny side i shed exactly the same as the day before and had 18 carp for 21.40kg.

In second place on the adjacent peg 5 was Nick Bastock. Nick also shed the feeder with pellets or maggots and weighed 16.68kg and caught 1 nice barel amongst his carp.

The cold side after a slow start produced a battle royal between the three anglers with Dennis Clark who was making his debut at the venue taking third spot

overall with 9.34kg once again on the feeder. Dennis is renowned for wearing shorts but after two days on the cold side he will be investing in an argos bob cap and some eecy jogging bottoms.

SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 37

Mercedes GLC 350D COUPE 4MATIC 2017, Automatic, Diesel, 136,728 kms, 4x4,3.0L, ABS, PAS, Radio, AUX/USB, Cruise control, Climate control, Multifunctional steering wheel, Bluetooth, Navigation. 38,995€

LandRover Range Rover Sport 2014, Automatic, Diesel, 149,043 kms, 4X4, 3.0L. ABS, PAS, Parking sensors, Radio, USB, Climate control, Bluetooth, Multifunctional steering wheel, Navigation. 29,995€

Nissan Note 2014, Manual, Petrol, 108,512 kms, Hatchback/Saloon, 1.2L, ABS, PAS, Central locking, A/C, Radio/CD, AUX, Bluetooth, Multifunctional steering wheel, Navigation. 8,995€

Kia XCEED 2022, Manual, Petrol, 11,087 kms, Hatchback/Saloon, 1.0L. ABS, PAS,Central locking, Climate control, A/C, Radio, USB, Bluetooth, Navigation, Multifunctional steering wheel. 19,995€

Mini John Cooper Works 2015, Automatic, Petrol, 140,0970 kms, Hatchback/ Saloon, 2.0L. ABS, PAS, Radio, AUX/USB, Climate control, Bluetooth, Navigation, Multifunctional steering wheel. 21,995€

SEAT Arona 2019, Petrol, Manual, 19,546 kms, 4x2, 1.0L, PAS, ABS, A/C, Radio, AUX/ USB, Central locking, Cruise control, Bluetooth, Heated seats, Touchscreen, Electric windows. 16,995€

Nissan Qashqai 2018, Manual, Petol, 33,629 kms, 4x2, 1.2L. ABS, PAS, Radio, USB, Parking sensors, Climate control, Bluetooth, Sunroof, Multifunctional steering wheel. 16,995€

Dodge Journey 2009, Manual, Diesel, 139,833 kms, 4x2, 2.0L. 7,995€

Mercedes GLA 250 4MATIC 2017, Automatic, Petrol, 129,268 kms, 4x2, 2.0L. ABS, PAS, Climate control, Radio, USB, Cruise control, Bluetooth, Navigation, Multifunctional steering wheel, Reverse camera. 24,995€

Kia Stonic 2022, Manual, Hybrid/ Petrol,10,200 kms, Hatchback/Saloon, 1.0 L, ABS, PAS, Radio, AUX/USB, Climate control, Parking sensors, Bluetooth, Navigation, Multifunctional steering wheel. 18,995€

Mazda CX3 2019, Manual, Petrol, 122,005 kms, 4x2, 2.0L, ABS, PAS, Radio, AUX/USB, Parking sensors, A/C, Bluetooth, Navigation Navigation, Multifunctional steering wheel. 16,995€

Mercedes B180 2013, Diesel, Manual, 161,191 kms, Hatchback/Saloon,1.8L. ABS, PAS, USB/AUX, Parking sensors, Central locking, Multifunctional steering wheel, Bluetooth. 13,995€

Ford Focus Estate ST LINE 2018, Automatic, Diesel, 185,000 kms, Estate, 1.5L. ABS, PAS, Climate control, Radio/CD, Aux/USB, Handsfree, Sat Nav, Multifunctional steering wheel. 13,995€

LandRover Range Rover Sport 2014, Automatic, Diesel, 153,753 kms, 4X4, 4.4L. ABS, PAS, Radio, AUX/USB, Climate control, Parking sensors , Bluetooth, Navigation, Multifunctional steering wheel. 31,995€

Citroen C3 Blue HDI, 2022, Manual, Diesal, 18,537 kms, Hatchback/Saloon, 1.5L, ABS, PAS, Radio, AUX/USB, Climate control, Central locking, Bluetooth, Multifunctional steering wheel. 15,995€

Skoda Scala 2021, Automatic, Petrol, 24,261 kms, Hatchback/Saloon, 1.0L. 18,995€

Opel Grandland X 2019, Manual, Petrol, 82,519 kms, 4x2, 1.2L, ABS, PAS, Climate control, Radio, AUX/USB, Navigation, Multifunctional steering wheel, Bluetooth, Navigation. 16,995€

Mini Cooper Cabrio 2011, Manual, Petrol, 154,909 kms, Cabrio, 1.6L. ABS, PAS, Radio/ CD, AUX/USB, Climate control, Electric windows, Bluetooth, Parking sensors , Leather seats, Multifunctional steering wheel. 10,995€

Subaru XV 2014, Manual, Petrol, 164,588 kms, 4x2, 1.6L, ABS, PAS, Radio/CD, AUX/USB, Climate control, Navigation, Multifunctional steering wheel, Reverse camera, Parking sensors. 12,995€

Jaguar XF Supercharged 2015, Automatic, Petrol, 147,807 kms, Hatchback/Saloon, 3.0L, ABS, PAS, Radio, Cruise control, Climate control, Parking sensors, Navigation, Bluetooth, Multifunctional steering wheel, Navigation, Reverse camera. 19,995€

BMW 740E 2016, Automatic, Hybrid/Petrol, 120,283 kms, Hatchback/Saloon, 2.0L. 32,995€

Mazda MX5 2017, Petrol, Manual, Cabrio, 87,234 kms, 1.5L. ABS, PAS, Central locking, Radio, USB, A/C, Electric windows, Cruise control, Bluetooth, Parking sensors, Multifunctional steering wheel, Navigation. 19,995€

SEAT Leon Estate 2016, Manual, Petrol, 171,636 kms, Estate, 1.2L. ABS, PAS, Central locking, Radio/CD, Touch screen, Aux/USB, Climate control, Bluetooth, Multifunctional steering wheel 9,995€

BMW 220d Cabrio 2017, Automatic, Diesel, 109,810 kms, Cabrio, 2.0L, ABS, PAS, Radio/CD , Cruise control, Climate control, Bluetooth, Parking sensors, Electric roof. 22,995€

Nissan Qashqai 2015, Automatic, Petrol, 147,225 kms, 4x2,1.2L. ABS, PAS, Central locking, Radio/CD, AUX, Climate control, Multifunctional steering wheel, Bluetooth, Parking sensors, Navigation. 14,995€